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Monday, May 5, 2014

Libya Updates May 5 , 2014 -- Libya has two Prime ministers but may not have any power ? Libya's deputy parliamentary speaker has rejected the election of the country's new Prime Minister, in the latest political struggle to strike the North African country. Hours after Ahmed Maiteeq was sworn in as Prime Minister, the first deputy speaker declared the vote as invalid, as a power struggle erupted in the assembly. Al-Awami declared the vote invalid and instructed Abdullah al-Thinni, who had resigned three weeks ago, to continue ruling the major oil producer, according to the Reuters news agency.

Libya's deputy parliamentary speaker has rejected the election of the country's new Prime Minister, in the latest political struggle to strike the North African country.
Hours after Ahmed Maiteeq was sworn in as Prime Minister, the first deputy speaker declared the vote as invalid, as a power struggle erupted in the assembly.
Al-Awami declared the vote invalid and instructed Abdullah al-Thinni, who had resigned three weeks ago, to continue ruling the major oil producer, according to the Reuters news agency."Mr Ahmed Omar Maiteeq failed to reach the quorum of 120 votes necessary according to the law to elect a new prime minister," al-Awami wrote in a letter to al-Thinni posted on the cabinet website.
After a chaotic session of parliament, Maiteeq was initially reported to have mustered 113 votes of the 120 needed under the constitution in a vote of confidence.
But the second deputy of parliament, Saleh al-Makhzoun said Maiteeq had in fact clinched 121 votes, apparently after a recount, defeating challenger Omar al-Hassi, a university professor.
"Ahmed Maiteeq is officially the new prime minister," al-Makhzoun said as some politicians immediately challenged Maiteeq's appointment by shouting.
Al-Sharif al-Wafi, an independent politician from Benghazi told the Associated Press news agency the swearing-in was unconstitutional and defied democratic principles.'Violations'
The second deputy of parliament continued the session after the first deputy had adjourned the session following the vote and ensuing chaos, Al-Wafi said.
MP Fatma al-Majbari told Libyan TV station Al-Ahrar; "There are violations in today's session," adding the new votes came after the session was adjourned.
Libya's 185-seat interim parliament has been deadlocked and unable to impose authority after Abdullah al-Thinni resigned as prime minister three weeks ago, citing an attack by gunmen on his family.
Al-Thinni resigned just one month after his election, when he replaced Ali Zeidan who was voted out of office after rebels humiliated the government by shipping crude on a tanker without government permission. The tanker was ultimately seized by US forces and returned to the country.
Libya has seen a severe deterioration in security since the end of Muammar Gaddafi's decades-long rule in 2011.

Libya has two prime ministers

By Moutaz Ali.

Ahmed Maetig and Abdullah Al-Thinni

Tripoli, 4 May 2014:

Libya ended up on Sunday night with two prime ministers after Abdullah Al-Thinni refused to recognise the legality of Ahmed Maetig’s election by 121 members of Congress this afternoon and the First Deputy President of Congress, Ezzidden Al-Awami instructed him to remain in office.

In a letter to Thinni, published on the Prime Minister’s website, Awami said that in the only session of Congress that was constitutionally legal, Maetig had gained 113 votes – insufficient for him to become prime minister. Consequently, Thinni was to remain in post until such time as Congress voted for a new prime minister in accordance with the Constitutional Declaration of 2011.

“We only deal with formal letters sent to us from the GNC,” the Prime Minister’s spokesman, Ahmed Lamin told the Libya Herald. “The First Deputy [President of Congress] has sent us a formal letter saying that the election of Maetig did not reach the required number of 120 votes and that accordingly Thinni was to continue in office until the General National Congress issued a legal decision about appointing a new Prime Minister.”

Awami had chaired the early session of Congress today that saw Maetig garner 113 votes. He then closed the proceeding. They were then reopened, illegally he claims, by the Second Deputy President, Saleh Makhzoum, and the second vote held in which Maerig gained 121 votes.

With Congress now split wide open and is likely to be held in even higher disdain than ever by the Libyan public.

Blackouts feared from Misrata to Benghazi

By Jamal Adel.

Tripoli, 4 May 2014:

The General Electric Company of Libya (GECOL) has warned that places from Misrtata to Benghazi face power shortages as protestors blockade oilfields near Marada.

GECOL spokesman Lotfi Ghoma told the Libya Herald that if demonstrators continued to prevent gas and fuel supplies from reaching power stations the national grid would be “overwhelmed”. He said the blockades would cause cuts which would eventually have a knock-on effect across large areas of the country.

Sirte Oil Compnay spokesperson Ahmed Al-Sharkasi said demonstrations had continued at Marada, south of Sirte, where blockades began three days ago. “Every so often we hear that they have shut down another oil well or station,” he said. “We have asked the government to make efforts to end the situation,” he added.

Demonstrators, thought to be from the Jalu area and believed to be involved in the local campaign for Jalu, Awjila and Jakharra, currently with a single seat in Congress, to be given a seat each in the new House of Representatives arrived at Raguba oilfield in the Marada area on Thursday. It produces roughly 18,000 barrels per day of oil.

They have since shut nearby oilfields at Zultun, which produces 30,000 barrels per day, and Al-Tahadi, which produces 350 million cubic feet of gas and 35,000 barrels per day.